Brink slams ActionSA ‘betrayal’ as ANC withdraws motion of no confidence – for now

City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink will remain in office for at least two more weeks after the African National Congress (ANC) withdrew its motion of no confidence.

Brink was scheduled to face the motion at a council meeting on Friday.

There has been widespread speculation about the possible removal of Brink as the executive mayor after 17 months in office, fueled by a political rift between ActionSA and his party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Although the DA still enjoys the support of its coalition partners, the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the ANC appears to have a numerical advantage in the council.

The DA, in response, has sought an interdict from the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to prevent Brink’s potential removal from office.

ANC motion of no confidence withdrawn

Addressing the media outside the Tshwane House on Thursday, ANC regional secretary George Matjila confirmed that the party’s motion would be backed by ActionSA, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Matjila also indicated that the motion would be temporarily withdrawn due to the DA’s court challenge.

“I think where we are, the position is very clear in terms of how are we going to move forward in unison, but we are respecting the legal issues that are pending.

“Within a period of two weeks ago, we think we will be able to come back and conclude the business.

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“We have agreed in principle that the motion that has been put is going to be temporarily withdrawn so that we deal with the side issues that are creating an impediment for us. But for sure in 14 days, we will be back,” he told reporters.

The ANC regional secretary further claimed that the party also had the support of the Congress of the People (Cope), the African Transformation Movement (ATM), the African Independent Congress (AIC) and Good.

“All in all, the parties are on our side in terms of what needs to be done.”

Brink slams ActionSA betrayal

EFF Tshwane leader Obakeng Ramabodu emphasised: “We are going to remove Brink, and it will happen.”

Meanwhile, the ACDP explained its support for Brink’s removal, citing issues such as inadequate service delivery.

“We don’t have enemy number one or enemy number two, we can work with anyone,” said an ACDP Tshwane councillor.

Brink, who faced a separate motion of no confidence that was also withdrawn on 26 July, has reacted to the news, accusing ActionSA of betrayal.

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“I have just learned that ActionSA’s Tshwane caucus leader has told media outside Tshwane House that the party is leaving the Tshwane multi-party coalition.

“I haven’t received any notice to this effect, but in light of what has happened up to this point, I can only assume that this is the party’s position.

“A coalition that is making progress brought down for no clear reason. A betrayal of coalition partners and the people of Tshwane. Sabotaging the builders to let in the breakers,” the mayor said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Brink mentioned in a briefing on Wednesday that ActionSA had not given any indication of wanting to leave the coalition.

City of Tshwane council

The DA, ActionSA, IFP, FF Plus, and ACDP had entered into a coalition agreement in Tshwane following the 2021 local government elections.

The current composition of the Tshwane council is as follows: the ANC holds 75 seats, the DA has 69, the EFF holds 23, and ActionSA has 19.

The FF Plus follows with 17 seats, while the ACDP has two.

The AIC, ATM, Cope, Good, IFP, Patriotic Alliance (PA), Republican Conference of Tshwane (RC), Defenders of the People (DOP), and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) each have one seat.

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